Photographic shutter



Patanted Aug. 30, I898.

F. A. BROWNELL. PHOTOGRAPHIC SHUTTER.

(Application filed Aug. 2a, 1391 4 Sheets-Sheet l.

model.)

Inventor.

Attorney.

rm: Nonms Firms co. Pum'o-uwm WASHMGYON, n. c.

Patented Aug. 30, I898.

F. A. BROWNELL.

PHOTOGRAPHIC SHUTTER.

(Applicttion filed Aug. 23, 1897.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Invenuu'.

WilllcsSQS. my M '1. a.

Attorney.

' m: cams FEYERS co, wowumou msmnommu c.

N0. s|o,|54. Patented Au 30, I898. r. A. snowman.

PHOTOGRAPHIC SHUTTER.

(Application filed Aug. 23, 1897.)

Modal.) 4 Sheets--Shoet 3.

No. 6|0,l54. Patented Aug. 30, I898.

F. A. BROWNELL.

PHDTOGRAPHIC SHUTTER.

(Application filed Aug. 23, 1897.)

Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

Witnesses. Inventor.

Attorney.

Ync nouns mum co. movouwoi, wnmnmon. o. c.

. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK A. BRO\VNELL, OF ROCHESTER, NEYV YORK. 4

PHOTOGRAPHIC SHUTTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 610,154, dated August30, 1898.

Application filed August 23, 1897! Serial No. 649,160. (ModeL) To allwhom, it may concern.-

Be it known that LFRANK A. BROWNELL,0f Rochester, in the county ofMonroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Photographic Shutters; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisspecification, and to the reference-numerals marked thereon.

My present invention relates to that class of photographic shuttersparticularly adapted for use in cameras containing rollable film andwhich can be loaded or set and released without the necessity of openingthe lens-aperture during the setting; and it has for its object toprovide a shutter capable of being operated by successive movements of asingle part or operating member in one direction and also to provide ashutter in which successive time exposures may be made by the operationof a single operating, part or member, and, further, to improve andsimplify the construction and operation of the parts.

To these and other ends the invention consists in certain improvementshereinafter fully described, the novel features being pointed out in theclaims at the end of this specification.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of a shutterconstructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2, a similar viewshowing the position of the parts when opening the lens-aperture for atime exposure; Fig. 3, a view showing the position of the shutter afterthe completion of the movement of the shutter shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 4:,a view showing the 1ens-aperture open for a time exposure after theoperation shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 5, a view showing the position of theparts at the moment of the release of the shutter after the timeexposure in Fig. 4; Fig. 6, a view showing the position of the partswhen the time-stop is pressed down to make a time exposure with theshutter moving to the left; Fig. 7, a view showing the position of theparts after the time-stop has been released, the lens-aperture beingopen and the shutter ready to continue the motion to the left; Fig. 8, aplan view of the movable shutter member removed; Fig. 9, a sectionalview on the line as a; of Fig. 1; Fig. 10, a sectional view on the lineg y of Fig. 1; Fig. 11, a sectional view on the line .2 z of Fig. 1;Fig. 12, a view of a modification.

Similar reference-numerals indicate similar parts.

1 indicates the shutter support or plate, and 2 the oscillating shuttermember, constructed, preferably, of sheet metal, pivoted centrally upona stud or pin 8, and adapted to vibrate in opposite directionsalternately, so that the exposing-aperture 4 will pass across the lensor exposure opening 5 in the support. This shutter is provided with thelaterallyextending flange 6, having time stops or shoulders 7 7 at theends thereof, and is also provided with lugs or stops 8 8, arranged onopposite sides of the stops 7 '7 and at about equal distances therefrom,and is also provided with stops or cars 9 9, constituting limiting-stopsarranged to cooperate with a stationary stop 10, arranged upon thesupport 1, and is also provided with a lug or timestop 11, and upon theface of the disk or shutter member is'a perforated ear 12.

13 is the reversible actuating-spring cooperating with the ear 12 forthrowing the shutter alternately in opposite directions, so as to causeits aperture 4 to pass the lens-opening, said spring being connected toa plate 14, pivoted upon a pin 15 and having an ear 16, through whichthe spring extends, the extreme end of the spring in the presentembodiment being coiled around the pin 15.

The plate 14. constitutes a switch-block and is provided with a pointedupper end 17, on opposite sides of which are the inclined surfaces orshoulders 18 and 19.

20 indicates a movable actuating member .in the form of a plate guidedto move vertically by a flange 20, operating in a groove in the support1 and held by a cleat 40, said member being moved vertically away fromthe shutter by means of the spring 21. This member is provided with anaperture 22, through which passes the pivot of the plate 14, carryingthe spring 13, and upon it is mounted a flexible spring tongue or latch23, having its lower end bent downward to cooperate with the pointed endof the plate 14. and when the member is moved down to engage theshoulder 18 or 19, depending on the direction in which said plate waslast moved. The member 20 is also provided with a lug or projection 24,constituting a detent and extending over the face of the shutter andadapted to cooperate with the stops '7 7 8 8 and with the flange 6, aswill be described.

These devices are sufficient for throwing the shutter to makeinstantaneous exposures, and in order that this may be accomplished itis only necessary for the operator to press upon the flanged upper endof the actuating member 20, when, assuming the parts to be in theposition shown in Fig. 1, the downward movement will cause the springlatch or tongue 23 to engage with the shoulder 18 on the switch-block14, (the point 17 being to the right of the tongue,) turn the plate 14,and flex the spring 13, putting it under tension, with a tendency tomove the shutter in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1; but the detent24 engages the stop 8 on the shutter, holding it stationary until by thecontinued downward movement the detent 24 moves below the stop, when,the spring being under full tension, the shutter will be thrown by it tothe position in Fig. 3, the exposing-aperture therein having crossed thelens-opening and the shutter being arrested by contact of the stop 9with the stationary stop 10. When the pressure on the movable member 20is released, the spring 21 will raise it until the detent 24 is in thepath of the stop 8' on the shutter, and the spring 13 having assumed theposition shown in Fig. 3 it will be seen that the next downward movementof the member 20 will cause the latch 23 to engage the shoulder 19 onthe oscillating switch-block 14, thereby flexing the spring 13 in theopposite direction and causing the aperture in the shutter to moveacross the lens-opening in the opposite direction when the detent 24 isdisengaged from the stop 8 on the shutter.

It will be understood that each downward movement of the member 20 willcause the oscillation of the shutter, so as to cause an instantaneousexposure, the switch-block carrying the spring being oscillated inopposite directions alternately and the stops 8 8 on the shutterengaging with the detent 24 on the member 20 alternately.

To make time exposures, it is necessary that the aperture in the shuttershall be maintained coincident with the lens-opening, and in order toaccomplish this by simple mechanism and by the reciprocation of a singleactuating portion I provide a time member in the form of a lever 30,pivoted to the support at 31, moved upwardly by a spring 32 and having aprojection 33, adapted when moved down to project in the path of andcooperate with the lug 11 on the rear side of the shutter. The free endof the member 30 is provided with a thumb-piece 34 and anupwardlyextended end provided with an aperture 35, in which operates atongue 36, formed upon the movable member 20, as shown particularly inFig. 10. The connection between the time member 30 and the member 20 isa loose one, so that the latter may be manipulated to causeinstantaneous exposures without operating the former; but when themember 30 is moved it will operate the member 20 to cause the flexing ofthe spring and release of the shutter.

Assuming the shutter to be in the position shown in Fig. 3, if theoperator desires to open the lens-opening he presses upon the outer endof the member 30, thereby bringing the projection 33 in the path of thestop 11 on the shutter member, this movement operating the member 20downwardly, flexing the spring 13, and withdrawing the detent 24 fromthe stop 8 and causing the shutter to move to the position in Fig. 2with the flange 6 above the lug 24, and upon the release of the member30 the spring 32 will move the latter upward and releasing the stop 11and the detent 24 will engage the stop 7, holding the shutter with theaperture in line with the lens-opening, as in Fig. 4. In this position,it will be noted, the detent 24 on the member 20 is beneath the flange 6on the shutter, and said member 20 is not permitted to move upward farenough to release the switch-block 14 from the latch, which latter istherefore held so that the next downward movement of the member 20 willmove the spring 13 in the same direction as before. To close the shutterfrom this position, it is only necessary to move the member 20 downwardfar enough to disengage the detent 24 from the stop '7 and allow thespring 13 to throw the shutter to the position in Fig. 1. This releasingoperation I prefer to accomplish by moving the time member 30 downward,as in Fig. 5, in order that both the operations necessary for a timeexposure shall be accomplished by the movement of a single part, thuspreventing confusion on the part of the operator.

If the shutter should be in the position in full lines in Fig. 1 when itwas desired to make a time exposure, the first downward movement of thetime member 30 will flex the spring 13 to the right, as in Fig. 6, thestop 8 and detent 24 cooperating until the spring 13 is under tension,the stop 33, projecting in the path of stop 11 on the shutter, arrestingthe latter with the flange 6 over the detent 24, and when the member 30is released the shutter will be held by the engagement of stop'7 withlug 24, as shown in Fig. 7, the flange 6 preventing the release of thedetent and maintaining the switch-block with the latch on the same side.The shutter may be closed from the position shown by manipulating themember 20 or member 30 to release the lug 24, as before described.

This shutter is particularly adapted for use on cameras used by amateurphotographers, because there are no parts to be set or manipulated whentime exposures follow instantaneous exposures, or vice versa, it beingonly necessary to press upon the instantaneous member once to make aninstantaneous exposure and to press the time member once to open andagain to close the shutter no matter in what position the shutter wasleft after the last operation.

It will be understood that it is not necessary that the member 20 be inthe form of a sliding plate or that the time member 30 be in the form ofa lever, as these constructions could be changed or reversed.

Other modifications will also readily occur to those skilled in the art,and I therefore do not desire to be confined to the details of theconstruction shown, as I regard this as but one embodiment of myinvention.

In Fig. 12 I have shown a modification of my invention in which both themember 20 and the time member 30 are in the form of levers, theoperations in this arrangement being the same as the one described andthe stop 11 being removed to above the flange 6 owing to the changedlocation of the lever 30.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination with an oscillatory shutter,of a reversible motor-spring, a movable member, a spring for actuatingit in one direction, connections between said member and the spring fortensioning the latter upon opposite sides of the shutter alternatelywhen said member is moved in one direction only, and a detent controlledby the member for engaging the shutter and releasing it when the ,memberis moved in one direction.

2. The combination with an oscillatory shutter, of a reversiblemotor-spring engaging the shutter, a movable member, a latch andswitch'block arranged between the member and motor-spring for causingthe reversal of the spring by successive operations of the member in onedirection, and a detent controlled by the member for holding andreleasing the shutter.

3. The combination with an oscillatory shutter, of a reversiblemotor-spring engaging the shutter, a movable member, a switchblockconnected to the spring, a latch on the member cooperating with theswitch-block, and a detent for holding and releasing the shutteroperated by the movable member.

4. The combination with an oscillatory shutter, of a pivotedswitch-block, a spring thereon operating on the shutter, the movablemember having the spring-latch thereon cooperating with theswitch-block, and a detent for holding and releasing the shutteractuated by the movable member.

5. The combination with an oscillatory shutter having the stops 8 and8', of the movable member having the detent 24, the spring for movingthe member in one direction, a reversible motor-spring engaging theshutter, and a switch connection between said member and spring fortensioning the latter in opposite directions by successive movements ofthe member in the same direction.

6. The combination with an oscillatory shutter, of a reversibleactuating-spring con nected thereto, a pointed switch-block to which thespring is connected, a movable member, a spring-1atch carried by themember and cooperating with the block to oscillate it in oppositedirections alternately, and a detent engaging the shutter and controlledby the movable member.

7. The combination with an oscillatory shutter, of a reversibleactuating-spring connected thereto, a pivoted support connected to thespring, a movable member, connections between the member and support foroperating the latter in opposite directions alternately by thesuccessive movements of the member in the same direction, and a detentfor the shutter controlled by the movable member.

8. The combination with an oscillatory shutter, of spring-actuatingdevices for operating the shutter in opposite directions alternately, amovable member, connections between the movable member and actuatingdevices for causing the latter to cooperate with opposite sides of theshutter alternately by successive movements of the member in the samedirection, and holding devices for the shutter released by the movementof the member.

9. The combination with an oscillatory shutter having the stops 8, 8,the reversible actuating spring, and the pivoted pointed switch-blockconnected to the spring, of the movable member having the spring-latchcooperating with the switch-block, and the detent operated by themovable member and cooperating with the stops on the shutter.

10. The combination with a support having a lens-opening and anoscillatory apertured shutter, of spring-actuating devices for operatingthe shutter in opposite directions alternately, a movable member,connections between the movable member and the springactuating devicesfor causing the latter to cooperate with opposite sides of the shutteralternately by successive movements of the member in the same direction,holding devices for the shutter released by the movement of the member,a time member connected to the movable member to actuate it in onedirection and cooperating with the shutter for arresting the latter withthe aperture in line with the lens-opening.

11. The combination with a support having a lens-opening and anapertured oscillatory shutter, of a reversible shutter-actnatin g motorfor moving the shutter in opposite directions, a movable member, aspring for actuating it in one direction, connections between saidmember and the motor for operating the latter in opposite directionsalternately when the member is moved in one direction only, a detentcontrolled by the member for engaging the shutter and releasing it bythe continued movement of the member in one direction, a time memberconnected to and actuating the movable member and having a IIO portioncooperating with the shutter to arrest it with the aperture in line withthe lensopening.

12. The combination with a photographic shutter, an actuating-spring foroperating it, a movable member, connections between said member and thespring for tensioning or setting the latter, and a detent controlled bythe member for holding and releasing the shutter, of a movable timemember cooperating with the first-mentioned member to move it, andconnections between said time member and the shutter for holding thelatter open.

13. The combination with an oscillatory apertured shutter, a reversibleactuatingspring cooperatin g therewith,a movable member, connectionsbetween said member and the spring for flexing the spring in oppositedirections alternately at each movement of the member in .one direction,and a detent operated by the member for engaging and holding the shutteragainst the tension of the spring and releasing it, of a movable timemember adapted when operated to arrest the shutter intermediate theextremesof its oscillations, and connections between said-time memberand the first-mentioned member for operating the latter when the timememberis operated.

14. The combination with an oscillatory apertured shutter, a reversibleactuatingspring cooperating therewith,a movable member, and a latch andswitch connection between the member and spring for flexing the springin opposite directions at each movement of the member in onedirection,of a detent actuated by the member for holding and releasing theshutter, a movable time member cooperating with the shutter to hold itintermediate the extremes of its oscillations, and connections betweenthe first-mentioned member and the time member for actuating the formerby the movement of the latter.

15. The combination with a movable apertured shutter, a spring foroperatin git, means for placing the spring under tension, and a detentfor holding the shutter, of a time member cooperating with the shutterto arrest it intermediate the extremes of its movement, and connectionsbetween said time member, the spring-tensioning device and the detentfor tensioning the spring and releasing the detent when the time memberis operated to arrest the shutter.

16. The combination with a movable apertured shutter having the stops 7,7', 8, 8, and 11, and the flange 6, of the spring 13, the movable memberhaving the detent cooperating with the stops, the spring for moving themember in onedirection, connections between the movable member and thespring for tensioning the latter in opposite directions alternately, thetime member cooperating with the stop 11, and having the looseconnection with the movable member to'operate it.

17. The combination with the apertured oscillatory shutter, spring-motordevices for operating the shutter in opposite directions alternately, amovable member, a shutter-detent operated thereby, and connectionsbetween said member and the motor devices for placing the latter undertension on opposite sides of the shutter alternately, and releasing thedetent at each successive movement of the member in one direction, of atime member having a loose connection with the firstmentioned member,and adapted to cooperate with the shutter to arrest it intermediate theextremes of its movement.

18. The combination with the apertured oscillatory shutter having thestops 7, 7, 8, 8', and 11, and flange 6, the movable member having thedetent, the shutter-spring 13, and the switch and latch connectionbetween the spring and member, of the pivoted lever 30 having the arm33, the spring for operating the lever, and a loose connection betweenthe lever 30 and the movable member.

F. A.'BROWNELL.

Witnesses:

G. E. OWENS, GEO. BAXTER.

